Girl, 16, shot dead at sleepover while brushing friend's hair in horror drive-by

Traelynn Sibley, 16, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting at a Kansas City home on August 9, in what prosecutors say was a case of fatal mistaken identity that has left a community in shock

Michael D. Carroll and Abigail Hunt Content Editor

10:58, 02 Sep 2025

[Girl, 16, shot dead at sleepover while brushing friend's hair in horror drive-by]

Traelynn Sibley was murdered in a horrific drive-by shooting (Image: KCTV5)

A 16-year-old girl was brutally gunned down during a sleepover while innocently doing her mate's hair, just days before she was due to start her junior year at secondary school. Traelynn Sibley was killed in a horrific drive-by shooting at a Kansas City home on August 9, in what prosecutors describe as a case of deadly mistaken identity that has left a community reeling.

The teenager was enjoying what should have been an ordinary night with friends when catastrophe struck in the most devastating way possible, as she and her mate were "fixing each other's hair at a vanity near the front door" of the house, reports the Express.

Bailey Lewis, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder, accessory armed criminal action and accessory unlawful use of a weapon for the shocking crime that claimed an innocent life.

[Traelynn Sibley was murdered in a horrific drive-by shooting]

Prosecutors say it was a case of fatal mistaken identity that has left a community in shock

According to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, Sibley was spending the night at the house when Lewis drove past in a calculated assault targeting someone else inside - someone she had fallen out with after she allegedly allowed them to be "jumped" at a petrol station. Court documents paint a chilling picture of the moments leading up to the tragedy, showing how an ordinary evening quickly turned into a nightmare.

"[Others inside the house] described a normal night with two of the females fixing each other's hair at a vanity near the front door of the structure, one female was in back bedroom while two adult males were playing video games in the living room. A toddler was also present in the home," the court document stated.

The terrifying attack came without warning as the family continued their nightly activities, completely unaware of the danger looming outside their door.

"They heard the sound of gunshots and observed projectiles entering the home through the front door and living room wall/window area near the front door," prosecutors disclosed.

"The juvenile female struck by gunfire was fixing her friend's hair at the vanity when she was shot in the throat. She ran to the bathroom where she collapsed."

Officers claim they managed to identify Lewis using surveillance cameras that captured her distinctive 2025 Hyundai Elantra arriving and leaving the scene of the shooting.

After detectives zeroed in on Lewis as their main suspect, they say they uncovered a web of personal disputes that they believe led to the deadly confrontation.

[Bailey Lewis, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder]

Bailey Lewis, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder(Image: Getty Images)

One person revealed they had "not associated for a couple months" with Lewis after she accused them of theft, according to court documents. Another person in the targeted home told police that they knew Lewis, but had fallen out with her after she "let her get 'jumped' at a petrol station months before."

The probe revealed an even more chilling pattern, as detectives say they connected Lewis to another shooting that occurred roughly 15 minutes prior to Sibley's murder.

Her car was captured on CCTV footage near the earlier crime scene, with the timing perfectly matching for someone driving between the two locations.

"It should be noted the drive time via Google Maps is between 11-18 minutes from location to location depending on the route you take," the court document highlighted.

"This drive time aligned with the approximate time frame between the incidents if a car fired shots into [the apartment complex] and then drove straight to [the former friend's home]."

Lewis was finally arrested on August 28 and is currently being held at the Jackson County Detention Centre on a $400,000 bond, but nothing can bring back the bright young life that was so tragically taken.

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Sibley's devastated mum paid tribute to her daughter, telling KCTV5 that the teenager was a "beautiful, bright, sunny girl" with her whole life ahead of her. "She was a free spirit and almost always smiling and happy. She loved to dance, draw, and do nails, and wanted to be a beautician someday," the heartbroken mother revealed.

"We are absolutely broken by the loss of our sweet girl. I want to bring awareness to how these tragedies affect the community."

The horrific killing has robbed a bright future from a young woman who dreamed of becoming a beautician - cruelly murdered whilst enjoying her beloved hobby with a friend during what ought to have been an innocent sleepover.

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